Carpet sweeper



July 21, 1942. R. w. KENYON ETAL 2,290,847

CARPET SWEEPER Filed May 18, 1959 I W @1 log HA 5 A w or) I [mgr/liar @Ne M 1,

. Attorney Patented July 21, 1942 CARPET SWEEPER.

Richard Walton Kenyon and John Percy Redfearn, Accrington, Entwisle England England, & Kenyon Limited, Accrington,

assignors to Appiication May 18, 1939, Serial No. 274,338 In Great Britain June 21, 1938 7 Claims.

This invention relates to carpet sweepers having rotary brushes, and in particular to improvements in carpet sweepers of the type having each wheel mounted on a separate and independent stub axle which does not pass into the interior of the casing and is capable of limited movement in any direction with its axis parallel to or substantially parallel to that of the brush, the axle being mounted between the arms of a forked bracket to which pressure is applied by means of a spring.

It has been found that the effects desired viz. the presure in a vertical direction for resisting to the desired extent the downward movement of the casing and brush when the sweeper is in use and the increase in pressure for maintaining the wheel in driving contact with the brush pulley the more a downward pressure is applied to the handle and the deeper the bristles of the brush are forced into the carpet can be better obtained by employing a second spring the end of which bears on the surface of the first spring at or near the point of attachment of the forked bracket thereto or on to the forked bracket itself.

According to the invention the forked bracket carrying the stub axle on which a wheel of the sweeper is mounted is rigidly affixed to a bowed spring at or near one end thereof, which spring is attached to the casing of the machine, and the end of a second spring which is separate from or a continuation of the spring carrying the forked bracket bears either directly or indirectly on the surface of the first spring at or near the position where the forked bracket is attached or on to the forked bracket itself.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be described with reference thereto. In this drawing:

Fig. l is an end View partly in section of a carpet sweeper of the type having a wheel cover showing one form of the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the end of Fig. 1 with the top of the casing partly removed.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation partly in section of another form of the invention applied to a carpet sweeper of the type having a wheel cover.

Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of a similar form of the invention to that shown in Fig. 3, but applied to a carpet sweeper of the type having an end strap on which the pivot of the brush shaft is mounted.

Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section of a further form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an elevation partly in section of a still further form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the roller 0 shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a slightly different construction of the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In all the forms of the invention each wheel A is mounted on a stub axle it carried by the arms of a forked or stirrup shaped bracket B the transverse member b of which is directly afiixed as shown at the left hand side of Fig. l, riveted as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1, and in Figs. 4, 5 and '7, or bolted as shown in Fig. 3 to a bowed cantilever spring C at or near the free end of the latter.

In Figs. 1 and 2 each spring C passes under a side member D of the casing of the sweeper and is secured to the outer surface thereof by one or more screws d which are enclosed by the side flanges e of the wheel cover E.

In Fig. 3 which also shows the invention applied to a sweeper having a wheel cover E the side flange e of which secures the spring C in position without the use of screws d to attach it to the side member of the casing.

In Fig. 4 which shows the invention applied to a sweeper in which the end bearing of the shaft f of the brush F carried by an end strap G, the spring C is secured to the outside of the side member D of the casing by one or more screws d which are covered by the end strap G.

In Fig. 5 the spring C is also shown secured to the side member D by one or more screws d on the outside of the member, whilst in the construction shown in Fig. 7 it is held in position by the wheel cover or by the end strap according to the construction of the sweeper.

In all the constructions of the spring C shown in the drawing the spring C passes under the side member D, but it is obvious that the spring C may be affixed to the inner face of the member D preferably near the bottom thereof.

A second spring H acts on the surface of the spring C near the point of-attachment of the bracket B thereto in order to increase the pressure in a vertical direction for resisting to the desired extent the downward movement of the casing and brush when thesweeper is in use.

The end of the spring H may bear directly on to the spring C as shown in Fig. 1, or the transverse member of the stirrup where there is little or no relative movement between the two springs when the sweeper is in use, but in the constructions shown in Figs. 3 to 9 where relative move.

ment occurs it is preferred to interpose a, surface between the two springs which will minimize the wear and friction caused by the aforesaid movement. Such surface may be in the form of a plate as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 secured to the spring C. Instead of a flat plate a curved surface 0 as shown in Fig. 5 may be secured to the surface of the spring C toform the surface on which the end of the spring H acts. In an alternative arrangement the fiat plate or the curved surface may be secured to the spring H.

A further arrangement is shown in Figs. '7 and 8, in this construction a flanged roller 0 is located between the two springs C and H, which are bent to prevent the roller moving away from between them, instead of the roller 0 being loose between the two springs it may be j ournalled in a bracket 72. at the end of the spring H as shown in Fig. 9.

The spring H may be an entirely separate spring from the spring C as shown in Fig. l, or it may be a continuation of the spring C as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and '7.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the separate spring H is arranged between the spring C and the side member D of the sweeper passing under the member D and secured to the outer face thereof by the same screw or screws d which secure the spring C thereto. The spring H is of a different curvature from that of the spring C so that its end it presses on to the latter near the bracket B togive the desired pressure as hereinbefore described.

The two springs may be secured together to form a single unit to facilitate attaching the springs in position and permit of vertical adjustment in assembling.

In each of the constructions shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 7 the spring H is a continuation of the spring 0 and passes over the top of the side member D of the frame of the casing but it acts as a separate spring since its point of flexing corresp-onds with the top of the member D. As before the end it of the spring H presses on to the spring 0 near the bracket B to give the desired pressure thereto.

The construction facilitates the assembling of the spring unit CH on the end of the side member D as it can be readily placed thereon and held in position by the wheel cover or end strap.

In any or all of the forms of the invention a stop such as a screw or pin 1' may be inserted in the end of the casing and project within the rim of the wheel A to prevent the latter being pulled too far in a downward direction and the spring C being damaged or broken.

The stub axle mounting hereinbefore described will give the desired pressure for resisting to the desired extent the downward movement of the casing and brush when the sweeper is in use, and also the increase in pressure for maintaining the wheel in driving contact with the brush pulley the more a downward pressure is applied to the handle and the deeper the bristles of the brush are forced into the carpet.

What we claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A carpet sweeper of the type referred to having in combination with each wheel, a stub axle on which the wheel is mounted and a forked bracket carrying the stub axle, a bowed flat spring secured to the sweeper casing to the free end of which the forked bracket is secured and a second bowed fiat spring formed as a continuation of the first spring of different curvature thereto which contacts with and acts on the first spring only at a point adjacent to the attachment of the forked bracket thereto whereby the pressure of the first spring is augmented in downward and lateral directions as desired and required respectively.

2. A carpet sweeper of the type referred to having in combination with each wheel, a stub axle on which the wheel is mounted and a forked bracket carrying the stub axle, a bowed fiat spring secured to the sweeper casing to the' free end of which the forked bracket is secured, a second bowed fiat spring which acts on the first spring only at a point adjacent to the attachment of the forked bracket thereto whereby the pressure of the first spring is augmented in downward and lateral directions as desired and required respectively and a plate interposed between the contacting surfaces of the two springs to minimize friction and wear.

3. A carpet sweeper of the type referred to having in combination with each Wheel, a stub axle on which the wheel is mounted and a forked bracket carrying the stub axle, a bowed fiat spring secured to the sweeper casing to the free end of which the forked bracket is secured, a second bowed fiat spring which acts on the first spring only at a point adjacent to the attachment of the forked bracket thereto whereby the pressure of the first spring is augmented in downward and lateral directions as desired and required respectively and a rounded surface interposed between the contacting surfaces of the two springs to minimize friction and wear.

4. A- carpet sweeper of the type referred to having in combination with each wheel, a stub axle on which the wheel is mounted and a forked bracket carrying the stub axle, a bowed fiat spring secured to the sweeper casing to the free end of which the forked bracket is secured, a second bowed fiat spring which acts on the first spring only at a point adjacent to the attachment of the forked bracket thereto whereby the pressure of the first spring is augmented in downward and lateral directions as desired and required respectively and a roller interposed between the contacting surfaces of the two springs to minimize friction and wear.

5. A carpet sweeper of the type referred to having in combination with each wheel, a stub axle on which the wheel is mounted and a forked bracket carrying the stub axle, a bowed flat spring secured to the sweeper casing to the free end of which the forked bracket is secured a second bowed fiat spring formed as a continuation of the first spring which contacts with and acts on the latter only at a point adjacent to the attachment of the forked bracket thereto whereby the pressure of the first spring is augmented in downward and lateral directions as desired and required respectively, the first spring passing below the side of the sweeper casing and the second spring over the top thereof, and means for securing the springs to the aforesaid casing.

6. In a carpet sweeper of the type referred to having a casing, a rotatable brush carried thereby and wheels mounted on individual stub axles, each carried by a separate bracket and disposed in the casing to traverse the carpet and rotate said brush; each bracket being disposed at an angle extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the associated wheel, bowed fiat spring means, one for each bracket, extending from the casing upwardly and inwardly and secured at free ends to the respective bracket adjacent the tops of the latter, bowed fiat spring portions extending from approximately the same location on said casing as said spring means, said spring portions contacting with and acting one on each of the spring means at a point adjacent to the attachment thereto of the associated bracket, each spring portion being spaced from the associated spring means from adjacent said point to a point adjacent said casing whereby the pressure of each spring means is augmented in a downward direction and in a generally horizontal direction transverse with respect to the axis of rotation of the brush.

7. In a carpet sweeper of the type referred to having a casing, a rotatable brush carried thereby and wheels mounted on individual stub axles, each carried by a separate bracket and disposed in the casing to traverse the carpet and rotate said brush; each bracket being disposed at an angle extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the associated wheel, bowed fiat spring means, one for each bracket, extending from the casing upwardly and inwardly and secured at free ends to the respective bracket adjacent the tops of the latter, bowed flat spring portions extending from approximately the same location on said casing as said spring means, said spring portions being separate from said spring means, fastenings common to the spring means and spring portions securing them to said casing, said spring portions contacting with and acting one on each of the spring means at a point adjacent to the attachment thereto of the associated bracket, each spring portion being spaced from the associated spring means from adjacent said point to a point adjacent said casing whereby the pressure of each spring means is augmented in a downward direction and in a generally horizontal direction transverse with respect to the axis of rotation of the brush.

RICHARD WALTON KENYON. JOHN PERCY REDFEARN. 

